Be A Sustainable Dave Too

Climate change has the potential to be the greatest environmental threat facing the Earth, the largest driver of human poverty, and the greatest new hazard to human health.
The good news is that we know how to win the fight against global warming.
The mission is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 gigatons by 2030
The solutions are within our reach and our means.
Involvement should be at all levels and from all angles
The golden rules are 3R: recycle, re-use and reduce

Be the first corporations to commit, care and venture.

Climate change is affecting the environment. The growing awareness of climate change has resulted in a significant increase in corporations taking the lead to assume their social responsibilities to save the Earth. These pioneers may ultimately benefit in subsequent energy enterprises. On a small scale, they may become community advisors or enforcers. On a larger scale, the doors of the market-based business opportunities of the Kyoto Protocol are opened to them.

To be identified as contributors to global warming may very likely mean loss of big business opportunities, as there is an increasing trend of calling by organizations and climate concerned bodies to boycott corporations whose business activities that may contribute to global warming.

Reducing corporate carbon footprint:

All business activities embody carbon in varying extents. Building design, fittings, stationeries including papers, R&D, management, marketing, communications, supplier's carbon footprint are but a few to mention. Eco-designs target emissions reduction.

Use of recycle papers can reduce waste and GHG emissions. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates the average GHG saving from using recycled paper instead of it going to landfill is 1.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every ton of paper. Case study shows that use of 23 000 tonnes of recycled paper, saves 53 000 m³ of landfill space, 700 million liters of water, 621 000 kg of air pollutants and 32 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Be energy efficient

Use office appliances that are energy efficient: compact fluorescent lights, LCD screens, desktop computers. Traditional incandescent bulbs are about 3% efficient only as most energy is wasted as heat. The more efficient compact fluorescent lights are rapidly gaining popularity. Live span has greatly increased to 5 - 15 years. Increased efficiency reduces power consumption by 75%.

(Compact fluorescent bulb - energy efficient)

Teleconferencing is a super saver for time, cost, energy, GHG, trouble and hassle, and facilitate earlier decisions made in a more relaxed environment from homeland. Do not forget that time means money and productivity. Take for example in Canada, for the 2.7 million teleconferences conducted annually through Bell, 142 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions have been saved each year

Other 'green' business approaches include paperless e-work styles: emailing, e-messaging, e-billing, e-applications, e-assessments and e-government administrations.

As public, we can do our part in our daily life which can have an effect on our immediate surrounding, and on places as far away as Antarctica:

Advocating sustainable life style including electricity saving, water saving, garbage classification, reduction, recycling and reuse

Replace home appliances with energy efficient models.

Support companies that advocate renewable energy sources in their products

Maximize usage of bicycles in transport.

Switch fossil fuel to solar energy, wind energy which are abundant, clean, affordable and reliable alternatives.

Refrain from using plastic bags that are hard to degrade.

Integrate the golden rules of 3R : recycle, re-use and reduce, to reduce wastage and increase efficiency.

Switch to an eco lifestyle and be environmentally friendly: be an eco-driver on road, eco-house dweller, eco-planter, eco-businessman and eco-shopper.....

Dave Chameides' effort to save the Earth

A Rubbish Life for LA Marathon Recycler - Dec 22, 2008

Dave Chameides has spent almost an entire year living a life full of utter garbage, and hoping he can inspire others to do the same. The Los Angeles-based cameraman has lived in his comfortable Hollywood home without throwing away a single piece of trash, from wine bottles to chewing gum and pizza boxes. "It's just little steps. I'm not living in a cave. People think that the US quality of life should be living in a house with lights on all the time. We live a pretty decent life, by many people's standards we live a phenomenal life."

The 39-year-old Chameides -- nicknamed "Sustainable Dave" -- recycles his garbage or else stores it in his basement. He says he wants to show that it is possible to dramatically reduce his family's consumption habits.

And his efforts show astounding results. Rather than the 1,600 pounds of trash the average American family produces each year, Chameides, his wife and two daughters have amassed only 32 pounds over the last 12 months.

Chameides has shunned bottled water in favor of filtered tap water -- except when on holiday in Mexico, but even those water bottles were brought back to his home, compacted and stored with other trash.

His war on packaging also extends to the family groceries. Rice and pulses are bought by the kilo and placed in containers, while fresh fruits and vegetables are purchased at a weekly neighborhood farmers' market. In fact, groceries was one of the easiest areas to eliminate packaging. But the DVDs, kids toys can be frustrating to dispose.

So he buy rice and beans in bulk without packaging, paying and solving disposal problems. Meanwhile, any kind of organic food and paper is minced up by worms and used as compost.

His southern California home is fitted with solar panels while his car runs on used cooking oil. However, he insists that even if you don't follow his example to the letter, "sustainable living" can be achieved without huge sacrifices to your quality of life. "I'm eating fresher food, I'm saving money, helping the local economy, supporting farmers instead of corporations."

Even wrapping paper for Christmas gifts presents an opportunity to recycle, by using comics or something useful and reusable.

Ironically, even Chameides's rubbish will not go to waste. In January, his refuse will be sent to the Trash Museum of Connecticut to be exhibited.

Sustainable Dave gives his much valued advice from his very own experiences:

We may not be as perseverant and as committed, but Dave said,
"No one can do everything but everyone can do something"
"For me that's worth it. It's just thinking about doing the right thing."

References and related news:

Climate Action: To Shrink Your Carbon Footprint
A Rubbish Life for LA Marathon Recycler: AFP
Japan to Fund City's Solid Waste Disposal Plan: BDAfrica April15, 2009
Waste and Recycling
Composting and Recycling of Garden and Kitchen Waste
Recycling:stampsru.com

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